The Brookvale Community Centre is now home to a new street art work by local artist Kentaro Yoshida.

The commission is part of Council’s Street Art Program, which is creating a collection of renowned street art and murals across the Northern Beaches.

The vibrant work reflects the close connection the Centre has with the local Tibetan community, the largest of its kind in Australia.

The mural also references the Centre’s purpose of welcoming and providing outreach services to the broader community and to people of many diverse backgrounds.

The first project in Council’s new Street Art Program was the Bungan Lane Mural Project in Mona Vale last year.

Artist David Cragg worked with local young people and his team to install Midnight Dream, a large-scale mural celebrating local endangered flora and fauna, and bush tucker species.

Mayor Michael Regan said street art can act as a signpost for a community’s creativity, often making us wonder what else is going on creatively in a place.

“Our Street Art Program brings artists, residents, businesses, property owners and the community together to create exciting new artworks in unexpected places.

“Murals by young artists are transforming streets and laneways, connecting communities, and revealing our deep creativity across the Northern Beaches.

“It’s worth checking out how vibrant the Brookvale Community Centre now looks and also the fantastic mural in Bungan Lane."

The Brookvale Community Centre artwork was completed by local artist Kentaro Yoshida, who moved to Australia from Japan when he was just 18. Yoshida is known for his exuberant characters, narrative style and quirky sense of humour.

Based on the traditional graphic style of Japanese (manga) comics, Yoshida’s artworks at the Community Centre feature images of the Waratah (NSW’s state flower) and the Rhododendron (the national flower of Tibet).

“In one mural, the Waratah is dancing with the Sun, which depicts joy, the feeling people get when they come to this community centre, and in the other mural, the Rhododendron, together with some native Australian animals, is being embraced by the moon, which signifies comfort, the feeling people have when they are settling down in a new community.

“These concepts are all about helping each other to come together to grow and protect the community.”

All projects involve community consultation, and in some cases, mentoring of a local, emerging street artist.